plastic smile
by shortsheet
Summary: Set after Too good to be true. Gunther and Erin are teenagers. Erin starts to lead a life that could destroy her family. Can they discover the truth before it's to late?
1. Chapter 1

Erin McFadden was the envy of all her friends. She lived in that big house and always had the nicest clothes. Of course everyone knew her parents had worked very hard for everything they had. Her mother was a stay at home mom by the time she was eleven but before that she had worked hard as a wedding planner. Her father, Oran, was a self made man. He helped fund some businesses in the area and pretty soon he started making a profit.

Her brother Gunther was the class clown. He was smart as hell but you wouldn't guess it at first. He always wore a raccoon skin hat no matter the weather. He was only thirteen but he was already a lady killer despite the hat.

Most of the time both of them were good children and rarely got into trouble.

Growing up had been a bit unusual for the kids. Erin had grown up with her Grandmother, her uncles, and cousin Casper along with her mother, father, and brother. It wasn't until she started going to school that she realized having ghost in the house wasn't normal. Of course she kept her mouth pretty well closed about it. Gunther pretty much followed in her footsteps. Sometimes he would mention it to a friend but everyone took it as a joke.

She was thinking over everything in her life while she laid on her friend Kel's bed. Kel was a good friend of hers from school. They'd been friends for years. She was going through a box of cds looking for something interesting to listen to. They were supposed to be doing homework but Erin didn't see any harm in having some fun first.

"So is Gunther seeing anyone?" Kel asked.

"Not that I know of," Erin said raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Kel said picking a cd. "He is kind of cute."

"You are so weird," she said rolling her eyes. "I don't think you are his type. He likes silly girls."

Kel put the cd in and hit play. A soft rock beat filled the room. She opened the window and pulled a bag out from her dresser. She sat down on the bed and pulled out a glass item and sat it down on the bed.

"What's that?" Erin asked turning her attention to Kel.

The glass item looked like a pipe. Some times her father smoked pipe tobacco.

"Pot pipe," Kel said filling a hole in the pipe with something.

"Pot!" Erin cried. "You're smoking Pot?"

"Calm down," her friend said. "It's just pot."

"I'm getting out of her," she said getting off the bed. "If my dad finds out I was here while you smoking pot he'll kill me."

"Chill out," she said taking a hit. "He'll never find out."

Erin couldn't help but be curious as she watched Kel. She sat back down on the bed. She seemed to be enjoying it as she smoked. Soon she was smiling and her eyes were half shut. She gave a little cough. She held it up to Erin.

"No," she said shaking her head. "It wouldn't be a good idea. If my dad..."

"You're a teenager," Kel said. "You have the right to act out once in a while."

"I suppose," Erin said taking the pipe.

With a little instruction from Kel she managed to take a hit. Her lung felt like they were on fire and she began to cough. Once she got her couching under control she took another hit. That time it wasn't nearly as bad. It actually felt kind of good.

"How is it?" Kel asked.

"Not to bad," the other girl said taking another hit. "I feel pretty...pretty...what is the word?"

Kel didn't get a chance to try and finish her sentence. Erin broke out into laughter and fall back onto the pillow. Kel smirked watched her. It was always fun to watch someone get high for the first time. Erin rolled to the edge of the bed. She tried to get to her feet but she slipped off the bed and onto the floor.

"Are you OK?" Kel asked.

"Am I?" Erin asked before she started laughing again.

–

Stretch got used to his role as a father many years ago but he was still surprised by his children every day. Erin was a good girl and didn't surprise him very often. Gunther on the other hand was full of surprises. Nothing bad of course.

He walked into the kitchen and gasp.

Gunther was sitting at the table with several measuring cups. There was a sugar everywhere. Every cup was full of sugar and there was sugar all over the floor.

"What are you doing?" Stretch asked. "Your mother and grandmother are going to be angry if they see this."

"I'm working on something," Gunther explained.

"Care to explain it?" Stretch asked sitting down at the table.

"I'm trying to find out how many cups of sugar it would take to get to the moon," his son explained.

"Why?" his father asked.

"Fun of it," he explained.

"Clean this mess up," he said getting up from the table. "Now."

Stretch shook his head as he watched his younger child try to clean up with the mess. He left the room still shaking his head. He had no idea where he went wrong with that boy.

He was on his way to his office when he heard the front door open and closed. He hoped that it was Erin. She was late coming home from Kel's. He wasn't worried. He knew the two girls had fun and often lost track of time. He headed down stairs to meet her.

"Erin," he said as he walked into the entrance hall.

"Dad," she said giving him a hug. "How are you?"

"Fine," he said laughing slightly.

Erin was always a little too uptight. He had never seen her so relaxed.

"I had a great time with Kel," Erin explained. "I'm going back over there this weekend."

Stretch smiled. His daughter didn't have many friends and he was happy to see her making friends. He kissed the top of her head before heading off to his office.

Erin smirked walking to her room. She had never felt so good. Kel was right. The pot made her feel like a new person. She hadn't got around to her homework though. She had some math due the next day and she knew she would be in trouble if she didn't get it done.

She went up to her and opened her backpack. She dumped out her books onto the bed. She sat down and tried to focus on the word problems in front of her. She couldn't focus. She was still some what high. She closed the notebook.

She got up and walked over to her dresser. She opened her jewelry box and found a pile of money. She'd been saving her money for a couple of weeks. She wanted some new video games. Of course she didn't need them. She didn't even really want them.

She wanted more pot. She wanted to get high again.

She stuffed the money in her backpack. She was see Kel at school and she would see if she could get her more.

The teenager decided that she wasn't going to do her homework. It was rare that she didn't turn in homework. Her teachers would be understand. Her parents didn't check her homework since she always did it.

She would go down and help her grandmother with dinner. She stuffed her things back into her backpack and headed downstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

Erin pushed herself through the crowed hallways. She wanted to find Kel before class started. She found her digging through the mess she called a locker. A few books escaped out onto the hallway floor. Kel picked up the book and forced it back into the locker.

"Hi," Kat said clutching the money in her hand. "I want you to have this. I want us to have fun again when I come up this weekend."

"I see," Kel said taking the money. "The same fun or a different kind?"

"Different kind?" Erin asked.

She was very naive about drugs. She only knew what little she knew from school and you never knew what was right. She gave her friend a confused look.

"Don't worry," Kel said shutting the locker. "I'll take care of everything. Just come by Friday after school. My brother will set us up."

Kel's brother was seventeen as was often left in charge of Kel. Her mother was a flight attendant so she was gone a lot. Her parents were divorced and her Dad lived in another state. Erin nodded. She wasn't sure what Kel meant but she decided to trust her friend.

She knew she had to hurry to class. Her teacher was already going to be sore with her for not finishing her homework. She barely made it in the door before the bell rang. All of her classmates were in their seats. She put her unfinished work on her teacher's desk and took a sit in the back.

"Alright," Mrs. Hallos said sitting down at her desk. "We have a surprise test today. I'm going to grade your homework while you work on these test covering what you should have learned from your homework."

Erin felt like crying. She hadn't done the homework. She was going to fail the homework and the test. She tried not to panic as the teacher handed out the test.

She knew she was screwed as she took the test. She could only figure out a couple of the answers. Her mind was turned to Kel. Why hadn't she told her the drug would make her so distracted? She thought it would go away when she wasn't high but she was having a really hard time focusing.

Class was over before she knew it. She handed her test in and was trying to get out of the room when Mrs. Hallos called her.

"Erin!" she said. "Please come here. I want a word with you."

Erin sighed and returned to her teacher's desk. Mrs. Hallos was holding her homework.

"I'm surprised at you," she said looking at the paper. "This isn't like you. Is something wrong?"

"No," Erin said quickly. "I was just out of it last night."

"Are you sure?" The teacher asked.

Erin didn't know what to say. She could tell her teacher was really worried about her but there was no way she could tell her she smoked pot.

"Yes," she said nodding. "I'm fine now."

"Alright," her teacher said. "I won't tell your parents this time but if this happens again they will get a phone call."

Erin smiled and nodded before she slipped out of the room. She had been right. Mrs. Hallos had let her off the hook. She ran to make it to her next class.

–

When Erin got home she went straight for her room. She had homework from English class and she needed to start walking on it right away. She walked into her room and was surprised to find Casper waiting there for her.

"Erin!" he said smiling at her. "Are you ready?"

Oh shit. She had forgotten. She was supposed to play baseball with him right after she got home. She wanted to get a couple more games in before winter set in.

"I can't," she said sitting down on the bed. "I've got important homework to do. Maybe tomorrow."

He frowned for a long moment. Then he smiled.

"OK," he said. "Maybe I can help."

Erin smiled and took out of her English book. The two of them often did her homework together. Casper was more than a cushion to her. He was a very good friend. Erin always felt like she could tell him anything. For a long time they worked together.

When they were finally done Erin closed the book.

"You look upset," Casper said seeing the tenseness in her face.

"Can you keep a secret Casper?" Erin asked.

That caused the ghost eyes to open wide. It had been a long time since Erin or Gunther had told him a secret. He had a feeling it was an important secret.

"You have to promise me you won't tell anyone," she said. "No one."

"Of course," he said.

"I've started smoking Pot," she explained. "I've only done it but I'm getting more Friday."

Casper had a confused look on his face.

"Pot," she said again. "Marijuana."

"You're doing drugs!" Casper said in a shocked voice.

"Shh!" she said putting a finger to her own lips. "You have to be quiet."

"But that stuff is bad," he said. "Its against the law."

"It makes me feel good," she said. "Besides its just pot. I won't do anything more than that."

Casper didn't know how to feel about the information. He knew Erin could get in a lot of trouble if anyone found out what she was doing.

"Please don't tell dad," Erin said. "You promised you wouldn't. Please keep that promise."

He was caught. If he told his Uncle Erin would be in big trouble. Erin would be very mad with him. If he kept it a secret Erin would keep using the drug. She might even do harder things. He decided it would keep it a secret and keep an eye on her.

"I won't tell," Casper said.

"Thanks," Erin said giving him a hug, "There is a little light out. Lets go play."

She raced out of the room and Casper was after her.


	3. Chapter 3

Stretch glanced at his watch and found the time was well after midnight. He had been in his office since before nine working on paperwork. He closed the folder and headed for his bedroom. He figured Kat would be asleep.

Darling Kat. He didn't know he did to deserve a women like Kat. She was amazing. She was loving and beautiful. He really didn't deserve such a wonderful woman. He knew she felt the same way about him.

He found her in bed but not asleep. She was on her side reading a book. Stretch slipped under the blanket and kissed her.

"What are you doing up?" he questioned.

"What are you doing up?" she said with a smirk.

"Touche," he said touching her face.

"I had a nightmare," Kat said closing her book. "About the kids."

It wasn't like Kat to have nightmares. He couldn't remember the last time that she had one.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Stretch asked.

"No," she said shaking her head. "It wasn't really anything."

She smiled and began to kiss him. He knew Kat was really upset. Whenever she was she would distract him with sex. How could he complain about that? He growled rolling her onto her back. He climbed onto her and kissed her deeply.

There was a knock at the bedroom door.

"Of course," Stretch whispered. "Who is there?"

"Uncle Stretch," came Casper's voice. "It's Casper."

"Go away," he said kissing Kat's neck.

"Come in Casper," Kat said pushing Stretch off her with a laugh.

"I'm sorry," Casper said opening the door a bit. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"It's OK shortsheet," Stretch said smiling. "What is it?"

"Well," the ghost said floating in. "I had a question."

"You look upset," Kat said. "Are you OK?"

"Yes," he said sitting down on the bed. "I just had a question."

"What is it?" Stretch asked.

"If someone tells you that they are doing something really bad and make you promise not to tell should you?" Casper asked.

"Depends I guess," his uncle said. "Is thing harmful?"

"Maybe," the ghost said with a shrug.

"If someone is doing something that is harmful to themselves or someone else you should tell," Kat said. "They could really get hurt. Even if you promised them you wouldn't. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Casper said. "I was just wondering."

He could tell Kat and Stretch didn't buy his answer.

"Casper," Stretch said. "What is going on?"

"Nothing," he said shaking his head. "I was just curious. I'll leave you two alone."

They said their good-nights and Casper left the room. He seemed to be a hurry to get out.

"What was that about?" Kat asked.

"I have no clue," Stretch said. "But something is going on around here. You know Erin was acting really funny the other day."

"You told me about that," his wife said with sigh. "You side she was unusually happy.

"It wasn't just that," he said. "She just wasn't herself...you don't think...you don't think she is having sex do you?"

"No way," Kate said shaking her head. "She wouldn't do that without telling me. I told that once she was older and got a steady boyfriend we would talk about putting her on birth control. She isn't even seeing anyone."

"I hope you're right," he said smiling a little bit.

Kat smirked running a hand through his hair.

"We aren't going to find out anything tonight," she said. "Why don't we just pick up where we left off?"

Stretch smiled and turned off the lamp on the beside table.

–

Friday afternoon came before Erin knew it and she couldn't be more excited. She couldn't wait to see Kel. She couldn't wait to get high. She knocked on the door to Kel's house. Her friend answered the door after a moment.

"I got your stuff," Kel said as they headed into the living room. "My Mom is gone tonight. She won't be make until tomorrow."

Erin smiled and sat down on the couch. Kel dropped a bag of pot on the table. She also handed her a small bag with a white powder in it.

"What's this?" Erin asked looking at the small bag.

"Cocaine," Kel said rolling her eyes. "My brother always gives a sampler to his new customers."

"Isn't this stuff really bad?" she asked.

"It's pretty good as far I know," Kel said already packing her pipe with pot. "You won't want to do it right now though. Mixing pot and coke wouldn't do you much good."

Erin frowned stuffing the bag in her backpack. She had learned a little bit about it in school and it was her understanding that it was very addictive. She doubted that she would do it. She bet she would just flush it when she got home. She didn't want to refuse it though. She thought that might seem rude.

"So the guilt is gone huh?" Kel asked.

"I guess," Erin said before taking a hit. "I don't like hiding it from my parents but..."

She held her breath before letting it out. The smoke swirled around her. She was going to finish her sentence. She was going to ask her about her inability to focus. Somehow she forgot what she was going to say. As she smoked hit after hit it seemed less important. Her high seemed so much stronger than before.

Kel put an arm around her and pulled her close.

"How is it?" she asked. "You look dizzy."

"I am," Erin said. "I think I need to lie down. I told my parents I was going to stay the night."

Kel helped her to feet. She slung Erin's arm over her shoulder and led her up the stars. Kel had a bit of smirk on her face. Erin wanted to ask her what the smile was about but she couldn't make any words. Kel laid her down on the bed and helped her with her shoes.

Erin was in a daze as he head hit the pillow. Kel walked out of the bedroom and into her brother's bedroom. The last thing Erin remembered was the sound of her friend talking to her brother and the sound of someone laughing.

–

Casper sat in the kitchen watching Gunther try to be a card house. Of course he wasn't getting very far. He would only get a few cards together before it would fall down to the table.

"I wonder what the trick is," Gunther said trying again.

Casper wasn't paying much attention to the boy. His mind was turned to Erin. He felt something was seriously wrong. He wished he had told Kat and Stretch. They would have been mad but they would have helped Erin before she got in too deep. He really felt like Erin needed him.

"Where did Erin go tonight?" Casper questioned.

"Oh to spend the night with Kel," Gunther said. "Why?"

"No reason," the ghost said. "I'm going to go check on her. I just have the feeling I should."

Gunther raised an eyebrow. He didn't know what to think of that. He just shrugged his shoulders and went back to building his house. Casper flew out of the room without another word.


	4. Chapter 4

The room was spinning around Erin. She felt like was going to be sick. She was lying in Kel's bed. She heard the bedroom door open. She turned her head to see Kel's brother, Marcel, come into the room. He sat on the bed and ran a hand through her hair.

She wanted to ask him what he was doing. When she opened her mouth no words came out.

"Shh," he said getting under the blankets with her.

His hands were on her. She knew he wasn't supposed to be doing it. She knew she was supposed to do something but she wasn't sure what it was. He unzipped the light jacket she was wearing. He slipped it off her and threw it on the floor.

Erin was grateful for that. She had felt like she was so hot. Next came her shirt. It quickly joined her jacket on the floor.

"Marcel..." Erin finally whimpered.

"Yes Erin?" he asked making quick work of her bra.

"...hum..." she said giving a little laugh.

She had very little idea of what was going on. All she knew was she was still so hot. Marcel was cooling her down. Yet...yet...something about it didn't feel right. Erin closed her eyes tight.

He kicked off the blanket and threw them onto the floor. The young girl moaned when the cool air hit her. In less than a minute he had her undressed. She looked so amazing. Such a young beautiful creature. Her eyes were pressed tight and she was moaning. Those sounds were like music to his ears. He slipped off his pants. He lifted her legs and positioned himself. He pressed in.

"Marcel!" she screamed as pain ripped through her.

"Sh," he said kissing her cheek. "The pain will go away soon."

Erin didn't know how to feel about what was happening. There was pain but it quickly became easy to ignore. There was some pleasure. It was over before she really had a chance to take it it in. She cried out again as he pulled out.

"Thank you darling," he said kissing her. "Don't worry. I used a condom."

Erin simply moaned before she fell asleep. He covered her back up, grabbed his clothes, and left the room.

–

Casper floating invisible up down and the street. He had only been to Kel's house once before and he was having a hard time finding the house. He was very excited when he finally located the place. He floated through the house and tried to find a sign of Erin.

He Kel sitting in the living room watching TV. Casper thought that was odd. It wasn't even seven o'clock. It wouldn't be like Erin to already be asleep. He drifted up stairs looking for Erin. He found her in Kel's room.

She was asleep in the bed and she looked unharmed. He frowned when he saw her clothes on the floor next to her. Erin was a neat girl. It wouldn't be like her to change of bed and throw the clothes on the floor.

He sat down on the bed and shook her.

"Erin," he said. "Its Casper. Are you OK?"

"Casper?" Erin moaned.

She rolled her and looked at him. Her eyes were red and it looked like she had been crying.

"What's wrong?" Casper asked. "Why are you crying?"

"You were right," she said tears flowing down her face. "This was a very bad idea. They put something in my pot. They had to have. Marcel...Marcel..."

She began to cry so hard she couldn't make words. Casper pulled her into his arms and held her close.

"Do you want me to get Uncle Stretch and Kat?" he asked. "Do you need help?"

"No don't tell them," she said drying her eyes with the sheets. "If I tell them I was doing drugs they'll kill me. If I tell them what Marcel did Dad will kill him for sure."

"What exactly did Marcel do?" Casper questioned.

He had a good idea but he wanted to know for sure. He didn't want to jump to conclusions.

"He... he came while I was high...and we had sex," Erin said not looking him in the eye.

"Was it just sex?" Casper asked. "Or rape? Those are two different things."

"I never asked him to stop," Erin said.

It was the truth but not really. She was so high she had really didn't know what was going on.

"You want me to just leave you here?" he asked. "I don't want to. I want you come home with me."

"I'll be along," Erin said. "There is no way I'm staying here."

"You mean that?" he asked.

"Of course," she said. "I just to clean myself up."

Casper nodded and headed for the door.

"Not a word to anyone," Erin said before he reached the door. "I'll tell my parents when I'm ready but not yet."

Casper simply nodded before walking out of the room. He had no idea what to do. If he had told Uncle Stretch about Erin using drugs she wouldn't have been raped. He wouldn't have let her out of the house. If he didn't tell him again it then it could happen again. He had no clue what to do as he headed home.

–

Erin pulled on her clothes and grabbed her back. She wanted to get out of there and never come back. She ran down the stairs. Kel was in the kitchen. She looked at her in surprise.

"Are you OK?" Kel asked. "What's wrong?"

"You know very well what is wrong," Erin snapped. "How could you do this to me?"

"What are you talking about?" her friend asked.

"You losers put something in that pot," Erin explained. "I know you did. I was so messed up. You did this just so Marcel could..."

"Could what?" Kel asked with wide eyes.

"Fuck me," Erin said. "He fucked me!"

Kel couldn't believe what she was hearing. It wasn't like Erin to swear. She had to be kidding. There was no way her brother would do that.

"Don't pretend you didn't know about this," Erin said with a snort.

"I swear!" Kel said tears in her eyes. "I would never have got you high just so he could have his way with you."

Erin wanted to believe Kel but she just couldn't. She had a feeling Kel was telling the truth.

"I was a virgin," Erin said tears in her eyes. "You just don't understand how upset I am. I was taught to wait."

"I know," Kel said putting an arm around her. "I know. But don't be too hard on yourself. You aren't to blame. Kind of like what happened to your mom."

"What do you mean?" she said trying to stop the tears.

"You mean you don't know?" Kel asked with a frown.

"Know what?" the crying girl asked.

"Your mom got pregnant by this loser guy and your 'dad' was kind enough to take you as his own," Kel explained. "She messed up and her life turned out great. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"What?" Erin cried. "But...my birth certificate says Oran McFadden."

"Of course," she said still hugging her. "Your real dad gave up his rights before you were born."

"How do you know this?" she demanded.

"My dad is a lawyer," she said. "I remember seeing something about it in a file. I saw it when he was packing. My Mom made me promise not to tell you."

"You're lying!" Erin screamed. "My mother wouldn't sleep with some jerk and get knocked up. My dad is my dad. I'm going home! I'm going to tell them about you! Marcel! And I'm going to tell them about the lies your are shoving down my throat!"

Erin ran out of the room and slammed the door behind her.


End file.
